Nanocomputing: When Will It Happen?

If you're old enough to remember the 1966 movie Fantastic Voyage, you were probably more impressed with a miniaturized Raquel Welch than with the idea of making technical tools small enough to work at the atomic level. Richard Murch discusses why nanotechnology is so appealing, and why we still don't have it.

From the author of

From the author of

Nanocomputers have the potential to revolutionize the 21st century in the
same way that the transistor and the Internet led to the information age.
Increased investments in nanotechnology could lead to breakthroughs such as
molecular computers. Billions of very small and very fast (but cheap) computers
networked together can fundamentally change the face of modern IT computing in
corporations that today are using mighty mainframes and servers. This
miniaturization will also spawn a whole series of consumer-based computing
products: computer clothes, smart furniture, and access to the Internet
that's a thousand times faster than today's fastest technology.

The Potential for Nanotechnology

Contrary to popular belief, the marriage of chemistry, computing, and
microscopic engineering known as nanotechnology is not a new phenomenon;
scientists have been working on the possibilities for decades. Nanotechnology
today is an emerging set of tools, techniques, and unique applications involving
the structure and composition of materials on a nanoscalethat is,
billionths of a meter. This research has the potential to usher in a golden era
of self-replicating machinery and self-assembling consumer goods made from cheap
raw atoms. The following list presents just a few of the potential applications
of nanotechnology:

Expansion of mass-storage electronics to huge multi-terabit memory
capacity, increasing by a thousand fold the memory storage per unit. Recently,
IBM's research scientists announced a technique for transforming iron and a
dash of platinum into the magnetic equivalent of gold: a nanoparticle
that can hold a magnetic charge for as long as 10 years. This breakthrough could
radically transform the computer disk-drive industry.

Making materials and products from the bottom up; that is, by building
them from individual atoms and molecules. Bottom-up manufacturing should require
fewer materials and pollute less.

Developing materials that are 10 times stronger than steel, but a
fraction of the weight, for making all kinds of land, sea, air, and space
vehicles lighter and more fuel-efficient. Such nanomaterials are already being
produced and integrated into products today.

Improving the computing speed and efficiency of transistors and memory
chips by factors of millions, making today's chips seem as slow as the
dinosaur. Nanocomputers will eventually be very cheap and widespread.
Supercomputers will be about the size of a sugar cube.

Using gene and drug delivery to detect diseased cells; nanoagents will
target organs in the human body, providing molecular repair and cell
surgery.

Removing the finest contaminants from water and air to promote a cleaner
environment and potable water.

Many other applications will be recognized or identified over time.

TIP

Despite the concept having been around for a long time, the technical aspects
of nanotechnology are new enough to require a specialized vocabulary. See the
"Nanoterminology" section at the end of this article for a brief
review of some of the words that are already becoming commonplace.